Notebook, 09/19

Every week, Roadrunners head coach Larry Coker shows up to Monday’s weekly press gathering with some talking points scribbled on a notebook.

This week’s message was the need to continue preparing to win, even when it doesn’t yield a positive result. Such was the case over the weekend, when UTSA was drubbed by Southern Utah despite bouncing back from the McMurry debacle with a solid week of practice/preparation.

“We’ve got to keep guys on the right track,” Coker said. “The main thing is to really put the emphasis on us. It’s not about (the other team), it’s about us. We have to control what we can control. That’s our attitude, that’s us.”

Editorial aside: The Southern Utah game was the first of any number of thrashings UTSA is going to absorb in the coming years as it attempts to achieve long-term, consistent respectability.

As Coker put it, “It’s a reality check of how good we need to be to win. I’m not sure we know how to do that yet from the standpoint of playing from start to finish, finishing games.”

And the problem is, even as the team garners experience, the goal post is going to keep moving, first with next year’s entry into the WAC, then the year after that with the start of their Non-Conference Schedules of Death.

The message? Buckle up, Roadrunners fans. It can be done, but it’s going to be a long, hard slog, with any number of repeats of Saturday’s experience.

* Coker said CB Erik Brown, who played extensively in his first game since transferring from Fresno State, would “be in the mix pretty quick” for a starting position during Monday morning’s gathering. How quick? Try a couple of hours, when UTSA’s game notes were released with Brown listed as the starter opposite Darrien Starling.

What kind of difference he’ll make remains to be seen. Brown appeared to be beaten for several completions during Saturday’s game, but he also had an impressive interception that was wiped out by a penalty. Compared to the callow freshmen the Roadrunners have to choose from, he’s at least got several years of college experience under his belt.

“You can tell he’s been coached,” Coker said. “He’s a little older, he’s got skills, and he knows how to be in the flow and play the ball.”

* The other lineup change was Richard Burge at DT, who is back with the 1s after yielding his spot to Franky Anaya for last week. Elsewhere on the depth chart, LB Blake Terry is listed as a backup DE behind freshman Jason Neill.

* Coker said TE Cole Hubble (shoulder) and transfer S Lekenwic Haynes (foot) have been cleared to play Saturday against Bacone College after missing UTSA’s first three games. (He didn’t, however, guarantee they would.) He also said wide receiver Jake Wanamaker, who didn’t travel to Utah, is also expected to return after suffering an apparent stress fracture. No word on WR Earon Holmes, who returned to practice last week.

* UTSA’s third-down defense — or lack thereof — was another popular topic. While I’ll be saving most of the comments for Thursday’s paper, I can’t resist sharing Coker’s blunt assessment: “Horrendous.”

The Roadrunners have allowed their last two opponents to convert 19 — 19!!! — times on third and fourth down, including eight of 10 yards or longer.

Coker used the same adjective to describe UTSA’s punt coverage, which gave up two long returns.

* If you’re having trouble finding much information on Bacone, an NAIA school based in Muskogee, Okla., join the club.

“We can’t, either,” Coker said.

For the record, Bacone — whose football program was started by former UTSA assistant David Ross — crushed Haskell Indian Nations 65-7 for its first victory. With no SID, it’s going to be tough grabbing their head coach for my customary check-in with the opposing boss. But for the record, their stats can be found here.

UTSA will be expected to pound the Warriors into submission. But that was also the case against McMurry, and we all know how that turned out. As such, there wasn’t even a whiff of overconfidence at Monday’s gathering.

* Expected to be perhaps UTSA’s weak point, the offensive line turned in another strong performance Saturday against a very solid Southern Utah front, keeping quarterback Eric Soza relatively safe and paving the way for 147 rushing yards.

“They looked like a college offensive line,” Coker said. “Just watching the tape, they’re playing together better. They’re playing with some confidence.”

Conversely, the defensive line struggled after two strong performances, failing to put any pressure on Southern Utah quarterback Brad Sorensen. As a result, Sorensen picked the Roadrunners apart, completing 20 of 28 passes for 287 yards and three touchdowns.

They did bounce back after giving up a 50-yard run on Southern Utah’s first snap, holding the Thunderbirds to 68 yards on their next 33 carries. But overall, Coker said UTSA’s defensive front was “manhandled.”

Case in point was defensive end Marlon Smith, who recorded one assist after savaging McMurry for nine tackles and four sacks.

“I’m humble about it, and I’m taking it in stride,” Smith said.

* Overshadowed by the Roadrunners’ struggles in pass coverage has been their dominant run defense. The Roadrunners are allowing 52.3 rushing yards per game, and 1.9 yards per carry. The only FBS teams with better per-game averages are Florida (30.7), Stanford (36.0) and LSU (47.7). UTSA would rank fourth in the FCS as well.